Category: Artists-past

Hans Weehuizen, aka Dutch Uncle, will be attending the festival again, offering workshops on how to play the bones and also sometimes singing alongside Ken Stephens. A veteran performer at Shanty Festivals worldwide, Hans sings an interesting selection of songs in both Dutch and English and plays concertina, melodeon and of course, bones!

Definitely from foreign shores (the other side of the Orwell) the Felix Stowaways will be joining the festival once again. Now venturing over the border into Norfolk as well, the group are gaining quite a following at home and abroad!

One of the most popular groups in the area, Golden Rivets are a firm favourite at the Festival, where they perform lively renditions of a variety of maritime songs, accompanied by guitar, banjo, violin, accordion and bodhran.

Famously formed from the 2010 Shanty Festival, Harwich Shanty Crew are now a busy and successful local group, performing at many local events. The Festival would not be the same without them.

Always one of our most popular acts at the festival and deservedly so, Kimber’s Men delight and astound in equal measure. Fine voices and spine tingling harmonies coupled with an approachable easy style make their performances stand out.

Back by popular demand, Longest Johns have made a big name for themselves in a short time. Singing a cappella shanties and sea songs with great harmonies, their performances are fresh, engaging and entertaining.

From just along the Essex coast in Maldon, Mains’l Haul have attended the Festival on several occasions and offer an entertaining mix of sea songs and shanties. They sing both unaccompanied and with a variety of instruments including guitar, whistles and concertina.

Named after the town of Walton-on-the-Naze, just across the bay from Harwich, Naze Shanty Crew have undergone a number of incarnations since their inception some 20 years ago. Keen drinkers, singers and sailors, not necessarily in that order, they attend a number of maritime festivals each year, but Harwich, of course, remains their favourite

No one in Harwich has stopped talking about Patrick and Miguel since they performed here several years ago. And so for 2017 we are delighted that they are able to visit us again. Hailing from Fécamp in Normandy, Patrick and Miguel perform with a symbiosis which can be felt as well as heard. Both superb singers in their own right, their voices compliment each other’s so completely and make for a magical performance.

A charismatic and popular singer and musician, Tom has written a number of sea songs and shanties that many erroneously believe to be traditional. In addition to his own material, Tom draws on his naval experience to provide authenticity when singing traditional sea songs. His strong performances engage audiences with the spirit of the sea.

Trim Rig and a Doxy have been performing together at Folk and Shanty Festivals for 15 years or more and this will be their 3rd appearance at Harwich Shanty Festival.

Julia’s distinctive melodeon style and Derek’s harmonious singing voice blend together to form a unique delivery with a warm and sometimes humorous slant. A popular duo, make sure you catch them over the festival weekend.

Kate Worsley is a local author whose first novel was published earlier this year. The action in the novel is centred around the old town of Harwich and together with Matthew Crampton, Chris Hayes, Jan North, Jenny Thompson and Sarah Madden, Kate will be presenting a highly original show featuring readings from the book, shanties and songs of the sea

Featuring original songs about the Golden Age of Piracy Roy Mette and Triangle are collectively known as ‘Captain Morgan’s Rum Do’. Their songs feature murder, death, plunder and rum in tales of pirates such as Blackbeard, Black Bart, Anne Bonney and Calico Jack Rackham. This performance will also include songs from the new album ‘Thames, Sails and Scallywags Tales’ concerning life in medieval London and introducing another range of scurvy, lice ridden characters.

Hold on to you rowlocks! This is a musical journey from which few return.

Also known as principals of the visual arts company, Hedingham Fair, Karen and Colin make a rare musical appearance at Harwich this year. As well as being one of the Folk world’s best artists and designers, Karen is a sweet singer, mean banjo frailer and crisp percussionist. Colin is known for his Melodeon and Anglo Concertina playing, but what is less well known is that he has written several folk songs, which many have assumed are traditional songs.

Crossjack are from Oldenburg in Germany and pride themselves on singing Shanties in the traditional manner as close as possible to the way they would have been sung on board ship. Their authentic renditions are therefore sung acapella in appropriate rythym.

In the 18 months since their formation Hard Pressed has guested at Folk Clubs across the South East of England and started to make their mark in the International Maritime Festival scene – e.g. Shanty UK’s Easter Festival. They perform sea songs, shanties, more reflective or humorous songs, both from the tradition and contemporary sources, specialising in songs from the local area and America.

Based at Burnham Thorpe, birthplace of Lord Nelson, theirs was an obvious choice of name. A diverse group of enthusiasts, they are united by their love of singing and desire to keep the shanty singing tradition alive. Singing mainly acapella in harmony, but with occasional musical accompaniement, Nelson’s Shantymen have been delighting audiences in their home county of Norfolk and further afield.

Jed Stone and Des Tighe are well known around the folk scene in their Suffolk homeland, but have also travelled extensively to venues around the British Isles and further abroad. They were the founder members of XXLsior, a shanty crew put together to support the sail training trawler Excelsior and have previously sung with a variety of other groups. They are regular and popular supporters of the festival.

Hooks and Crookes were formed in 2004 to celebrate the Tall Ships Race coming to their home town of Waterford in July 2005. They had so much fun back then that they just kept going and have now appeared at festivals, Maritime and otherwise throughout Ireland, the U.K. and Europe. Their name derives from the old Cromwellian saying “by hook or by crooke” and refers to the two headlands at the entrance to Waterford Harbour. Hook Head Lighthouse dominates the Wexford shore, whilst further upstream Crooke Lighthouse lies on the Waterford Shore.

Back by popular demand, this talented and entertaining group of singers and musicians made an enormous impression when they visited our festival two years ago. La Bouline are based in the Loire region of France, for centuries an important trade route to the sea. Sailors from that region plyed their trade in traditional square rigged boats by day and sung of their exploits at night. So the heritage of the Loire valley is combined with the maritime heritage of the 3 Breton members of the band to produce a unique mixture of traditional and self penned songs.

Alan has a particular love of Sea Songs and Shanties and has performed at Maritime Festivals throughout the U.K. and abroad. He has previously sung with the now defunct Shellback Chorus but nowadays mostly performs solo, bringing an entertaining expertise to his performance. Singing both unaccompanied and with his beloved English Concertinas, we are pleased to welcome Alan back once again.

Formed just two years ago, this group already have an impressive list of performances and a C.D. to boot. Adopted almost immediately by the Titanic Brewery of Stoke on Trent, Nine Tenths Below sing “Songs of Ale and Sail”. We are delighted to welcome them to Harwich this year.

With a wide repertoire of songs, Paul is always one of our most popular performers at Harwich. He has toured extensively on both the maritime and folk scene and is an accomplished singer and guitar player, singing both traditional and self penned songs.

Search

Sign up to our Festival Newsletter for news of shanty events throughout the year as well as advance notice of the festival itself.